Germany and France Emphasize: Europe Must Be Able to Defend Itself Independently

German and French defense ministers stated on Friday that European countries, despite increasing their commitment to NATO, must ensure they have "strategic autonomy" in responding to security threats. According to the Associated Press, French Defense Minister Florence Parly said in Munich, "We must be able to respond to threats in our neighborhood, especially from the south, even when the U.S. or NATO is not inclined to intervene." Parly, alongside German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen at the Munich Security Conference, added: "To achieve this goal, we need strategic autonomy." The European Union announced a permanent and structured cooperation in defense matters in December, known as PESCO, aimed at producing new military equipment and improving cooperation and decision-making in defense. French President Emmanuel Macron has also called for the implementation of an operational plan that allows each EU member to cooperate militarily outside the existing EU or NATO framework. Specifically, the French government feels that the burden of stabilizing Mali, Niger, and other African countries in the Sahel region and countering jihadist groups to prevent their attacks on Europe has fallen on France. This has led NATO's Secretary-General to warn that the EU should not weaken this military alliance. However, the French Defense Minister stated, "European countries must be prepared to act without asking for help from the U.S. Forget the constant concern that it is either NATO or the EU. This is a wrong discussion." The German Defense Minister also confirmed that strengthening Europe's military independence aligns with greater commitments from these countries to NATO, adding that the goal is to "preserve and strengthen transatlantic cooperation." He stated, "The aim is for Europe to take on more military responsibility, allowing it to act with greater independence while also taking on more responsibility within the NATO framework." The Associated Press notes that the French government has announced plans to strengthen its military capabilities, intending to spend around 300 billion euros in this area by 2025. This would raise France's defense budget to 2% of the country's GDP. Currently, many NATO member countries have not reached this goal, with France's defense budget currently at 1.8% of GDP. Meanwhile, reports quote Federica Mogherini, the EU's foreign policy chief, stating that the EU's defense pact will not threaten NATO, and NATO's role in protecting Europe is not jeopardized by this new pact. Mogherini emphasized that the European treaties specifically highlight this, and NATO is referred to as a collective defense organization for those European countries that are members of it, clearly indicating that what we pursue under the EU's defense pact is not aimed at replacing NATO. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg cautiously welcomed the EU's efforts to strengthen these countries' defense capabilities, stating, "As long as these plans do not compete with NATO, they will strengthen this alliance." He emphasized at the Munich Security Conference that "the European Union cannot defend Europe on its own." Stoltenberg also told reporters that "a more aggressive Russia poses a common challenge for NATO and the EU." He added, "We are taking measured and appropriate actions to prevent another arms race and cold war." The Secretary-General of NATO mentioned that he is scheduled to have separate discussions with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who is attending the Munich Conference, and reminded that "dialogue is always important, especially in times of increased tension like today."